Apparatus and method for measuring UV coating effectiveness

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of measuring an effectiveness of an ultraviolet coating. The method comprises irradiating the UV coating with UV energy comprising a predetermined spectrum of wavelengths. The method also comprises measuring an intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating. The method further comprises comparing a measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating with a previously measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating to obtain comparison data. The method additionally comprises determining, in response to the comparison data, the effectiveness of the UV coating.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of measuring an effectiveness of an ultraviolet (UV) coating, the method comprising:
 irradiating the UV coating with UV energy comprising a predetermined spectrum of wavelengths; 
 measuring an intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating; 
 comparing a measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating with a previously measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating to obtain comparison data; and 
 determining, in response to the comparison data, the effectiveness of the UV coating. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined spectrum of wavelengths is from about 100 nanometers to about 400 nanometers. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UV energy, irradiating the UV coating, is provided by a tunable UV generator. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the UV coating forms an exterior layer of a vehicle; and 
 the UV coating comprises an organic polymer coating. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining an initial intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating subsequent to the coating of the exterior layer of the vehicle, and wherein the initial intensity is determined prior to a measurement of the previously measured intensity. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising determining a degradation of the UV coating based on a comparison of the initial intensity and the previously measured intensity, wherein the effectiveness is based on the determined degradation. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising calculating the measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating based on an absorbance, a transmittance, and a reflectance of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising predicting, based on the effectiveness of the UV coating, a future effectiveness of the UV coating. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the UV coating is applied onto vehicles of a fleet of vehicles; and 
 the method further comprises maintaining a history of measured UV intensities for each vehicle in the fleet of vehicles. 
 
     
     
       10. A system for measuring an effectiveness of an ultraviolet (UV) coating, the system comprising:
 a UV generator configured to irradiate the UV coating with UV energy; 
 a UV sensor configured to measure an intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating; and 
 a UV analyzer configured to compare a measured intensity with a previously measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating to obtain comparison data, and to determine, in response to the comparison data, the effectiveness of the UV coating. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the UV energy comprises energy having a predetermined spectrum of wavelengths from about 100 nanometers to about 400 nanometers. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the UV analyzer is further configured to determine an initial intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating subsequent to an application of the UV coating on an exterior layer of a vehicle, and wherein the initial intensity is determined prior to a measurement of the previously measured intensity. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the UV analyzer is further configured to determine a degradation of the UV coating based on a comparison of the initial intensity and the measured intensity, wherein the effectiveness is based on the determined degradation. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the UV analyzer is further configured to calculate the measured intensity based on an absorbance, a transmittance, and a reflectance of the UV energy from the UV coating and the exterior layer of the vehicle. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the UV coating is applied onto vehicles of a fleet of vehicles; and 
 the UV analyzer is further configured to maintain a history of measured UV intensities for each vehicle in the fleet of vehicles. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the UV generator comprises a tunable UV generator. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus comprising at least one computing device that is configured for performing actions, where the at least one computing device includes a processor and a local memory, the actions comprising:
 irradiating a UV coating with UV energy comprising a predetermined spectrum of wavelengths; 
 measuring an intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating; 
 comparing a measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating with a previously measured intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating to obtain comparison data; and 
 determining, in response to the comparison data, an effectiveness of the UV coating. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined spectrum of wavelengths is from about 100 nanometers to about 400 nanometers. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising determining an initial intensity of the UV energy reflected from the UV coating subsequent to an application of the UV coating on an exterior layer of a vehicle, and wherein the initial intensity is determined prior to a measurement of the previously measured intensity. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the actions further comprise determining a degradation of the UV coating based on a comparison of the initial intensity and the previously measured intensity, wherein the effectiveness is based on the determined degradation.